Guide to the Letter from Bennelong to Mr Phillips

Collection Summary

Title

Letter from Bennelong to Mr Phillips

Date Range

29 August 1796

Collection Number

MS 4005

Extent

0.03 metres (1 volume in SB-000478)

Language of Materials

English

Repository

Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The author of this letter is Bennelong, a leader of the Wangal people. In December 1792, Bennelong and Yemmerrawanne became the first Indigenous Australians to travel to England. In the letter Bennelong mentions his wife and another Indigenous man named Carroway, and passes on his thanks to Mr and Mrs Phillips for looking after him. The manuscript records the earliest known piece of writing by an Indigenous Australian, and is the only contemporary copy of a dictated letter which appears to have been copied verbatim by an unknown scribe. Dated Sydney Cove, New South Wales, 29th August, 1796. Signed 'Bannelong'.

Conditions Governing Access

Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1805039).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Letter from Bennelong to Mr Phillips, National Library of Australia, MS MS 4005, [class/series/file/item number(s)]'.